APPENDIX E :
MEMORANDUM ON ITEM 7 :
TEACHER TRAINING :
 

(a) for elementary schools

(Governments of Bihar & Orissa)

(b) for secondary schools

(Ministry of Education and Government of West Bengal)

REORGANISATION OF TEACHERS, TRAINING PROGRAMME

(Government of Bihar)

It has already been decided that all the elementary training schools opened should be of the Basic pattern. The programme of teacher training is obviously closely linked to the qualitative improvement in the primary schools which are now being oriented towards Basic education system and have adopted an integrated syllabus. It is being felt that though there has been an acceptance of the pattern of Basic education in the teachers, training schools, the practical application of the new concept in these schools is not very easy. There is need of a corresponding reorientation of the teachers' training colleges, as well as for some kind of special training. for teacher-educators.

2. In the sphere of secondary and elementary education, detailed enquiries and investigations have been carried out by high powered bodies but a similar study of the teachers' training programme has not so far been undertaken.

3. It is, therefore, suggested that a survey and study of the existing patterns of teachers' training, the syllabus in' force and their steady change over to Basic pattern may be conducted by a committee of educationists and those connected with teachers education. There is evidently a need of reorganisation of the teachers, training institutions to enable them to meet the new demands of compulsory education and of working out of the Basic pattern of elementary education.

EXPANSION OF TRAINING FACILITIES AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL DURING THE THIRD PLAN PERIOD

(Government of Orissa)

Training of adequate number of teachers of elementary schools is essential for maintaining and improving the quality of elementary education. Accordingly, the Ministry of Education decided during the Second Plan period that steps should be taken to increase the percentage

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of trained teachers to 75% by the end of the Third Plan. And in order to achieve this target, it was considered necessary to initiate action even during the Second Plan. The needs of each State were carefully assessed and an integrated programme of seven years was prepared. Dining the last two years of the Second Plan period, a scheme for increasing the number of seats in the training institutions was put into operation. Government of India gave 100 per cent assisstance for the scheme during the year 1959-60. But during the year 1960-61, the scheme could not be executed by the States as the Central grant was not available. As a result of this the target of having 75 per cent of teachers trained by the end of the Third Plan period cannot be achieved,

The importance of training teachers of primary schools cannot be over-emphasised. Government of India should take special measures to reach the target set up by them, since it would not be possible for many States to achieve the objective even if they work out fully the State schemes. It is suggested that the Ministry of Education may make a fresh assessment of the position and initiate a fully assissted Centrally sponsored scheme for the purpose,

Appendix E (Contd.)

Training of teachers with particular reference to the expanding requirements of science teachers for secondary schools

(Ministry of Education)

One of the factors responsible for the slow progress of conversion of secondary schools to the higher secondary pattern has been the shortage of trained post-graduate teachers to teach in the higher secondary classes. This shortage has been felt actually all over the country particularly in the case of science teachers. The matter came up before the C.A.B.E. at its session held in January 1959 and the Board recommended that trained graduate teachers already working in schools, should be encouraged to take the post-graduate examination privately. They should also be deputed to attend courses at the universities for. a period of one year. Thereafter such teachers should take either the regular M.A. or M.Sc. examination of the universities or a special diploma examination be conducted by the university which would entitle them to teach higher secondary classes. Again, in 1960 the Board gave special consideration to the Problem of recruiting sufficient number of postgraduate science teachers, and recommended that the facilities for the teaching of B.Sc. (Hons) and M. Sc. course should be expanded. The Board also suggested that the existing science graduate. teachers should be given an opportunity to join condensed courses for a period of one year or specially organised vacation courses or evening courses of suitable duration to enable those teachers to qualify for teaching higher secondary classes.

2. The resolution of the Board was communicated to all the universities and they were requested to extend full cooperation. The replies received revealed that some universities were unable to accept

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the suggestions of the C.A.B.E. In some universities, bona fide teachers were able to take the M.Sc. (Maths) examination privately. Others are still considering the proposal. Only Madras and Gauhati Universities and the Government of West Bengal have instituted courses in the manner suggested by C.A.B.E. Thus it will appear that the facilities envisaged by the C.A.B.E. are available only in a few centres in the country and not much headway has been made in enabling existing graduate science teachers to qualify for teaching in the higher secondary classes.

3. In this connection it may be mentioned that in view of the urgency of the matter, a paper on the subject was placed before the recent Vice-Chancellors' Conference. As the paper gives a lucid analysis of the problem and indicates the measures which may have to be taken to meet the demand, it is reproduced below :

"The last two Plans have laid great emphasis on the promotion and strengthening of science teaching at all levels of education. This is necessary if we are to raise the standard of the scientific and technological progress of the country to the level of what has been achieved in other countries. Although the improvement of science teaching has to take place at all levels of education, it has special significance at the secondary stage where the foundation is laid for further scientific pursuits. Several steps have been taken to raise the standard of science education. One of these has been to see that every secondary school teaches general science which will introduce every child to the basic- scientific concepts. A second important measure has been to provide science of an advanced standard to as many secondary school pupils as have the capacity and aptitude to pursue further science studies.

Science Teacher Requirement in the third plan

"(Perhaps the biggest difficulty experienced in our efforts to improve science education has been the paucity of trained and qualified teachers. The higher standard of science education requires teachers with higher educational and professional competence and it has not been easy to attract sufficient numbers of such men to the teaching profession.

"It is expected that by the end of the Third Five Year Plan there will be about' 25,700 secondary schools and out of these nearly, 9,100 will provide science of the elective standard. About 4,000 schools already provide the teaching of this subject and thus 5,000 more will need qualified and trained science teachers to handle the subject. On an average two additional M.Sc. trained teachers are needed for teaching elective science in a secondary school with one section in each of standard IX to XI. The total teacher requirement would thus come to 10,000 and the break-up for elective science between Chemistry, Physics and Biology in the ratio of 40 : 35 25 gives the following figures

Chemistry ... 4,000

Physics ... 3,500

Biology .... 2,500

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"This calculation does not take into account the existing shortage of M.Sc. teachers which is as high as 80% in some States nor the replacements that will be required in the normal course.

Availability of M.Sc. Teachers

"We shall have to find this large number of teachers with at least B.Sc. (Hons) and preferably M.Sc. qualification. In the year 1955-56, 2,456 students passed the M.Sc. examination and taking into account that in the Third Plan period the universities propose to raise the proportion of science students from 39% to 40%, the annual output of the M.Sc. graduates will not be more than 3,500. All these post-graduates will not be available for teaching jobs because many of them would pursue other professions such as industry, research and teaching in universities. Considering all the factors, not more than 30% of the total output will be available for teaching science in secondary schools and this will give us only about 1,000 teachers for our elective science programme. Even if we phase our requirement of teachers as 1,000 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000 respectively over the five years of Third Plan we shall still find the supply much short of the require- ments.

Long and Short Term Measures

"The problem of science teacher supply has to be tackled on two fronts-the long and the short terms-and universities can help greatly on both the fronts. The Conference might consider the following possibilities :

A. Long Term Measures

"An adequate increase should be made in the science seats provided in the colleges and universities in the post-graduate classes. It would be desirable to establish a very close liaison between the universities and the State Education Directorates. The universities can setup a small] unit which studies regularly the requirements of the teachers for the secondary schools of their respective States and devise ways and means to meet that demand.

"A fair percentage of seats, say about 20per cent may be reserved in the M.Sc. classes of the universities for B.Sc. teachers of the secondary schools to enable them to qualify themselves for the M.Sc. degree. (The selection and deputation of such teachers may be made by the State Education Departments.)

B. Short Term Measures

"The more important and urgent are the short term measures, though these coupled with the long term measures may even not suffice to meet the total demand of these teachers and for which the question of revising the scales of pay of the higher secondary

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schools and thus attracting a large number of M.Sc. to the teaching profession will have to be considered. The following short term measures are suggested for consideration.,

A certificate or diploma course of one academic session may be organised by the universities to give training to graduate teachers of competence to qualify themselves for handling the higher secondary classes. Such courses are already being conducted by the Madras University and Andhra pradesh is contemplating a similar course. A similar scheme under the name "Further Education of Science Teachers" has been in operation for the last three years in Assam.

"4. Short term content courses may be organised by the universities during vacations for graduate teachers which may spread over two or three vacations. Under this scheme staggered course can be provided during, vacations which can be followed up during intervals by correspondence courses on theoretical papers.

Increase of B. Sc. Teachers

"The above measures will help to give more teachers for the higher secondary classes, but as in this programme we will be drawing upon the existing B.Sc. teachers in the high schools, the problem of replacing the existing B.Sc. teachers has also to be kept in view. The following measures are suggested for consideration :

1. A two-year diploma course be started for Intermediate science students on the lines of Punjab University course.

2. The number of science seats in the degree classes in all the colleges and universities may be increased as much as possible by requesting University Grants Commission to make more allotments for the purpose."

4. The Vice Chancellors gave careful consideration to the various aspects of the problem and their recommendations are summarised as follows :

(a) Short courses should be organised for teachers to improve their qualifications so that they may be eligible for teaching higher secondary classes;

(b) The seats for B. Sc. (Hons.) and M.Sc. courses should be increased without lowering standards;

(c) Additional courses be instituted in training colleges and Education Departments of universities for the training of teachers, specifically for undergraduate and classes.

5. It may be pointed out that the object of this paper is

(a) to stress the urgency of devising measures for meeting the demand for science teachers at the higher secondary level ;

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(b) to indicate the measures necessary for meeting of this demand; and

(c) to emphasize the fact that this is a field in which the State Departments of Education and the universities in the area will have to work in the closest cooperation. It is suggested that in each State joint committee of the representatives of universities and the State Education Departments be set up to assess the requirements for post-graduate teachers and then to take measures which may be deemed necessary to meet the demand.

Appendix E (Contd.)

To consider the question of revising the syllabus and courses of studies in the post-graduate teacher training colleges in view of the gradual up-grading of the secon- dary schools into 11-class multipurpose schools and 11- class higher secondary schools with diversified streams of studies

(Government of West Bengal)

The former 10-class high schools are being gradually up graded into higher secondary or multipurpose schools with 11 classes. The present B. T. colleges were set up for training of teachers for 10- class secondary schools which provided for single track education with lower courses for the school 'final stage. Moreover, better teachers with higher academic qualifications, as are now required for the up- graded secondary schools, are not available in large number and training has to be given not only in" methods" but in subjects for teaching, i.e., "contents training" has to be provided to the existing teachers. Revision of the syllabus and courses of studies provided in the post-graduate training colleges is therefore urgently required for efficient and better teaching in the up-graded. schools.

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